Traffic-signaling apparatus



Sept. 3, 1929. 'r. A. VAN GUNDY 1,726,784

TRAFFI C S IGNALING APPARATUS Filed June 14, .1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1* IN V EN TOR 2M l 929. 'T. A. VAN GUNDY 1,726,784

TRAFFIC SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed June 14. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE A. VAN GUNDY, OF SAN GABRIEL, CALIFORNIA.

TRAFFIC-SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Application filed .Tune 14, was.

My invention relates to traflic signaling apparatus and has for its principal ob ects to provide a figure, preferably having the form and figure of a policeman, or traiiic oihcer,

capable of turning to different directions automatically and swinging his arms to 1nd1- cate traiiic movements; to provide an apparatus of the character referred to having signal or indicating lights to be shown in connection with the operation thereof; to provide also audible signaling means in connection therewith, such, for example, as a whistle, or other sound producing means; to provide a figure of the character referred to of double form, that is, a figure facing in opposite d1- recti ons at the same time; and, in general, to provide a practical, automatic signal apparatus adapted to occupy a suitable position relative to trafiic and to be operated for controlling and directing traffic.

The invention is intended to be turned intermittently. When the figure is turned against traiiic, that is, faces the stopped traffic, the arms are revolving to encourage and hurry up traffic passing in front and in opposite directions, just as traiiic ofiicers do to hurry up the trafiic. When the figure turns, the arms stop, the figure turns a quarter turn and then the arms start to revolving again to rush traflic in the other directions. The whistle blows just before the figure is turned. In other words, the operation of the figure is as nearly like the actual operation of a traiiic officer as possible. He blows the whistle to stop traffic; stops with arms quiet, while the body turns, and then starts the arms again.

In order to fully explain my invention, I have illustrated one practical form or embodiment thereof on the accompanying sheets of drawings, wiich I will now describe.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a signal apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same, with the arms omitted and indicating the electric circuits and contacts for illumination purposes;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, in section through one shoulder to show the'means for swinging the arms and electric contacts for illuminating the light signal in the hand;

Serial No. 1 15,844.

Figure 4 is ahorizontal sectional view, of reduced size, on line t4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the operating mechanism without the figure.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the

figure is designated 6, and is of double form,

facing in opposite directions, with two arms, 7 and 8, one arm mounted to revolve in front of each form, as will be understood from Fig. 4, and to make complete revolutions, as indicated by the broken light arrow lines. Said figure is mounted upon a base, 9. The head of the figure is double-faced, with a whistle, as 10, in each mouth, and the cap is provided with the front red and side green lights, as at 11 and 12, with a top lamp, 13, with red and green glass, or any desired flash light, all adapted to be illuminated. as herein after again referred to.

Mounted in the base, 9, is a central stand ard or pipe, 14, suitably anchored through the top of said base, 9, by means of collars, 15, 15, and nuts, 16, the figure having a middle casting or member, 17, rotatably connected to the upper end of said member, 14., and turning on rolling bearings, as at 18, the lower, or feet end of said figure being also rotatably connected to said member, 1 1, by means of rolling bearings at 19, as will be clearly understood from the showing in Fig. 2.

The middle casting or member, 17, is provided with a box-like structure thereupon, designated, 20, while the figure is provided interiorly, with hearing members, 21, 22 and 23, formed therein, as indicated in Fig. 2. A shaft, 24, extends from the box-like member, 20, through the bearing member, 21, and is provided with a beveled gear, 25, at its upper end, which beveled gear meshes with another beveled gear, 26, on a shaft, 27, mounted through the bearing members, 22 and 23, and provided at its opposite ends with two beveled gears, 28 and 29. The beveled gears, 28 and 29, mesh with beveled gears, 30 and 31, on short shafts, 32 and 33, secured at their outer ends to the arms, 7 and 8, as indicated in larger view in Fig. 3, whereby said arms, 7 and 8, are driven together and in opposite directions.

I will now describe the operating mechanism, shown in perspective, sectional detail in Fig. 5, said mechanism being adapted to 1 1 o JiZLCGCl within the lQOX-llliQ structur 20, and being accessible through a door, 3i, in the form or figure, Fig. 1.

The operating mechanism as herein illustrated, has a base member, 35, and a top plate, 36, with spacing pins, 37, 37, at the corners. Said base member, is provided with a bottom flange-like portion, 35, at each side, one of said portions having an ope i slot, 35 by means of which it can be easily and detachably secured in place, as by means of bolt and nut, 38.

The mechanism is driven by means oi an electric motor, M, with drive shaft 39, conected there rib and proviued at its outer end with a worm, s 0, in mesh with a ris gear, 4:1, secured around an internal men her, 42, havi herein the small g 4:3, 43, 43, meshing also with a central a l, keyec to shaft, a5, said small gears being carried on a plate, 46, keyed to the shatt, or central hub portion, 7 a another pl or disc member, l'i", turning and through the cents; of t' 0L5. member, lillounted on the under side or the member, 35, is a ring supporting member. supporting an internal gear member, e9, its flange, l9, .said member 49, having its under, central portion, a key par 0 fitting into a key seat or groove, 51, 1n the upper end ot the central shaft or standard, 1 in the lower part of the figure, as seen in Fig. 2.

Carried within said internal gear member, 49, are the planetary gears, as 52, there being three of these gears, but only two showing in the drawings, said gears, 52, meshing with a central gear, 53, on the lower end of the hub-like member e7, within said internal gear member, a9, as clearly seen in Fig. 5.

A shaft, 54, through the top plate, 36, has a lower portion fitting over the shaft, a5, and arouncthis lower portion is mounted a disk or plate, 55, secured to said shaft, 5-1, as by means of set screws, 56, said disk or plate having in its edge an elongated notch, 55', adapted to receive the end of pawl or dog, 57, mounted on a sleeve, 53, on a bolt, 59, and on the lower end of which sleeve, 58, is a second pawl 60, the end of which is adapted to engage in notches, as 61, in the plate or disk, at. Said pawl, 60, is provided with a spring, 62, one end of which is anchored to the base, 35, as at 63. The pawl 57, is provided with an ear, 62, to which is slidably connected a rod or link, 63, the other end of which is connected to a lever, 6d, pivotally connected at its attached end to a depending bolt, 65, in the top plate, 36, and the other end of which is provided with a roller, 66, adapted to ride the edge of a cam disk, 67, having in its edge a notch or indent, 68. into which said roller dips to allow the pawl 57 to be moved into the elongated notch weep/ea 55, in the disk 55. The lever, G-l, is also provided with an ear, 69, with which is slidably connected a rod, or link, 70, the opposite end of which is connected to a swinging frame or yoke, 71, suspended under the top plate, 36, and on which is slidably mounted a roller, 72, adapted to be positioned to register with any one of a plurality of cam disks. 73, 7-1 or 75, on a shaft, 76, in the hangers, T7, suspended from the top plate, 3 The further end of said shaft, T6, is provided with a worm gear, 78, with which meshes a worm, 79, on a vertical shaft, 80, the lower part of which is provided with a gear, 81, in mesh with the ring gear, ell, as shown. Said am disks, 73, T-l, and are each provided with two notches into which said roller 72, can drop as said cam disks are revolved, thus swinging the yoke, Tl and pulling the rod or link 70. A spring, 82, normally pulls said yoke, 71, toward the am disks, as clearly indicated and is stronger than the spring 62.

Cam disk 75 is shown provided with two oppositely disposed notches with the roller 72 in one of them. Counting live seconds for each operation, this cam disk will produce two equally timed operations, that is, one each thirty seconds, assuming that a complete revolution takes one minute. By spacing the notches differently around the cam disks, it will be evident that ditl erent periods for the operations can be provided, as twenty and :torty seconds, or ten and fifty seconds, including the five seconds for each turn or adjustmentot the figure.

On the upper end of the shaft, 80. above the top plate, 36, is a crank wheel, with which is connected a pitman, 84:, connected to the movable part of a bellows, 85, operated for pumping air into an air bag, 86. for a purpose hereinafter referred to. A hose, 8?, is connected with said air bag, as at S8, with a fixed air valve, 89, adapted to be pressed inwardly against the tension of spring 89 to be opened to allow air from said air bag to pass into said hose. Said valve is actuated by means of a rocker lever, 90, pivotally mounted at 91, by means of an arm, 92 on the upper end of a shaft? 93, and normally and yieldingly held in engagement with lever 90 by means of a spring 92, lighter than spring 89. The lower end oi shaft 93 is provided with an actuating arm, 91, just above the plate or disk, it-7, and is adapted to be moved by ei'igagement therewith of pins, 95, on said plate l7, as indiczu'icd in Fig. 5. Thus as said plate or disk, M revolves, said pins move said arm, 94c, rock said shaft 93, and through the arm, 92, rocks the lever, 90, and opens the valve 89, allowing air from said air bag 86, to escape into said hose, 8?, and thence to the whistles pipe, 96, to the opposite ends of which, in the mouth of each face, the whistles, 7.0, 10, are conuczicd for audible signaling.

The shaft, 24, which drives the arms, 7 and 8, through the connections before described, is adapted to be connected with the shaft 54, of the driving mechanism, as by means of a sliding connecting sleeve, 97, indicated in light broken lines, Fig. 5, the lower end of shaft, 24, being placed end to end with the upper end of shaft 54, and the angular sleeve, 97, being moved down over the shaft 54, with a slot and pin limit designated, 98 and 99, respectively, thus making it possible to readily disconnect the driving mechanism from the mechanism for operating the arms, previously described.

A solenoid, 100, is mounted on the top plate 36, the core 101, of which is connected by means of a hinged arm, 102, to an upstanding arm, 103, of the lever, 64, whereby said arm or lever, 64, can be moved toward the cam disk 67, andthrough the connections move the pawl 57 into the elongated notch, and the lever 64 to stop the disks 55 and 67, which through their connections stop the device until released. This solenoid 100 can be connected up for remote control, if desired, that is, the Wires can be run to any desired location where they can be controlled for energizing said solenoid at will. As this is common, it need not be illustrated in detail.

The disks 73, 74 and 75, on the shaft 76, can be provided with different numbers of notches, or recesses to receive the roller, 72, on the swinging yoke, 71, depending on how frequently it is desired to change the position of the figure, the roller, 7 2, being adjusted to the desired cam disk, as will be clear from the showing made.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that two electric wires, S and M enter the figure through the base. These are supply wires for the signal lights and for the motor. The connections are made to the revolving parts as by means of wiper rings and contacts, 104 and 105, circuits running to the lights, 106

' and 107, in the hands of the figure, and other circuits running to the lights 11, 11, and 12, 12, in the cap, and to the flash light, 13, in the top of the cap, as will be understood. This mechanism is all well understood. and in itself forms no part of the invention, except to make it complete. The red and green llghts are to be turned with the signal, of course, to indicate that trailic is open or closed, as the case may be. The circuit connections to the lights 106 and 107 in the revolving arms are made in the same manner, that is, by means of wiper rings, 108 and 109, with brushes or contact members, 110 and 111, as clearly seen 1n Flg. 3. The arms are provided with means for swinging them down into dropped positions, when desired. This means is indicated by the pin, 112, Fig. 3, which can be pulled out for the purpose of allowing the arm to turn on its shaft, 33. This pin is also indicated 1n Fig. 1.

I will now describe the use and operation of the invention shown on the drawings and described in detail in the foregoing specification. The arms are driven by the shaft 24, and its connections through the shaft, 54, with a control through the plate or disk, 55, and the body is turned through the connections to the hub portion, 47, and the gears, 52, 53 and 49, with a control through the disk or plate 47 Two sets of planetary gears are utilized to accomplish this control of the arm drive and the turning of the figure or body a quarter turn intermittently.

The power is applied from the motor, M, through its drive shaft, 39, which has a flexible section at 39, and a worm, 40, to the gear 41, which is connected to and drives the internal gear member, 42, and through the gears, 43 and 44, and shaft, 45, to which gear 44 is keyed, it drives said shaft 45, which sets on top of the member 47 and through said shaft, 45, and its connection in the shaft or member, 54, it drives the shaft 24, and the arms through the direct gear connections, clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, including the cam disk, 67, which is secured to said shaft 54, as at 54 and it also drives the plate or disk, 55, until the same is held by the pawl, 57, to cause said planetary gears to drive the plate or disk, 46, to which the three gears, 43, are secured. Said plate or member, 46, is secured to the hub member 47 and when it turns, it turns the plate ordisk. 47 the center gear, 53, which in turn drives the gears, 52, 52 of the second set of planetary gears, and the internal gear member, 49. As said internal gear member, 49, is keyed to the upper end of the member or standard, 14, which is anchored in the base, said internal gear cannot turn, and as the gears, 52, 52, and a third one, not shown, are secured in the top plate, 35, the driving of the member, 47 and central gear, 53, operates to turn the base, 35, and the entire mechanism, which is anchored to the base casting, 17, in the figure. When the pawl engages in the notch, 61, in the plate, 47 said member, 47 is held against turning, but the pawl, 57, is out and the plate, 55, is free to turn, and the arms are then driven together, and when the pawl 57 is drawn into the elongated notch, 55, in plate, 55, the arms are stopped, and the pawl 60, is out and the mechanism operates to turn the figure a quarter turn. The pawls are controlled by the swinging yoke, 71, and the cam disks, 7 3, 74 and 75, and the roller, 72, and the spring, 82. From the gear ring, 41, through the gear, 81, shaft, 80, and worm, 79, said cam disks are driven. As set, when cam disk 7 5, turns until its recess comes to the roller, 7 2, said roller and yoke, 71, can move sufiiciently to pull the lever, 64, pivoted at 65, and through the connections will pull the pawl, 57 into the disk notch 55, and stop and hold said disk, 55, and through its connections, 56, 54, 45, and 44, cause the disk 46, to revolve,

and thus, through its connections, 47, 53, and 52, cause the base, 85, and the figure, 6, to turn a quarter turn, the gear connections being such that one complete revolution of said disk or plate, 47, produces a quarter turn of the mechanism and the figure. As said member, 47 revolves, it operates through its pins, 95, to move the arm 94, and turn the shaft, 93, and through its connections, 92, 90, and 89, to blow the whistles in the ends of the whistle pipe, 96, corresponding to the mouths of the figure, as is clearly indicated, Figs. 1 and 5.

Thus I have provided an automatically operable signal apparatus which will swing its arms to indicate open trailic and will turn to different positions to close trafiic in one direction and open it in another direction, and will at the same time sound its whistle to call attention to the change in direction of traffic. I do not limit my invention to the details here shown and described, for I am aware that many changes can be made in the construction and arrangement of the mechanism without departing from the spirit of the invention, exceptas I may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a traiiicsignal apparatus, a form having a double representation of a traliic ofiicer for location at a street intersection, said form having arms, means for rotatably mounting said form, means for mounting the arms to swing, means to intermittently rotate the form through predetermined angular distances and to swing the arms, when the form comes to rest after the rotation through said predetermined angle.

2. In a tratiic signal apparatus, a form in representation of a traffic oiticer for location at a street intersection, said form having arms, means for rotatably mounting said form, means for mounting the arms to swing, means to intermittently rotate the form through predetermined angular distances and to swing the arms when the form comes to rest after rotation through said predetermined angle.

3. In a tratlic signal apparatus, a form in representation of a traitic ofiicer for location at a street intersection, said form having arms, means for rotatably mounting said term, means for mounting the arn s to swing, means to intermittently rotate the form through predetermined angular distances and i to swing the arms when the form comes to rest after rotation through said predetermined angle, and means for giving an audible signal when the signal indications are about to change.

4. In a traffic signal apparatus, a form in representation of a traflic ofiicer for location at a street intersection, said form having arms, means for rotatably mounting said form, means for mounting the arms to swing, means to intermittently rotate the form through predetermined angular distances and to swing the arms when the form comes to rest after rotation through said predetermined angle, and means for illuminatin said apparatus with red lights on sides set againsttratlic and with green lights on sides set in direction of traiiic to indicate danger and safety.

5. In a trafiic signal apparatus. a form in representation of a tratiic otlicer for location at a street intersection, said form having arms, means for rotatably mounting said form, means for mounting the arms to swing, means to intermittently rotate the form through predetermined angular distances, means to swing the arms when the :torm comes to rest to indicate tratiic movement, means for automatically sounding an audible signal to indicate change of traiiic movement, and means for illuminating said apparatus with red lights on sides set against tra'liic and with green lights on sides set in direction of trallic.

6. In a traiiic apparatus, a supporting structure mounted to be turned about a vertical axis intermittently, means for intern'littently and automatically turning the same through predetermined angular distances, means for mounting arms thereon to swing, means for intermittently and aiuiomatically swinging said arms one in front and one hehind said structure to indicate traliic movement, and means for illuminating said apparatus with red lights on sides set against trafiic and with green lights on sides set in direction of traitic.

7. In a traiiic apparatus, a supporting structure mounted to be turned about a vertical axis intermittently, means tor automatically and intern'iittently turning the same through predetermined angular distances, means for mounting arms thereon to swing around complete circles at the same time and at opposite sides of said structure, means for intermittently and automati ally swinging said arms to indicate trallic movement, an audible signal, and means for automatically operating said signal just prior to the rotation of said apparatus through its prtuletermiued angle.

8. In a tra'liic signal apparatus. a form h aring a double representation of a traliic olliccr for location at a street intrmection, said "form having arms mounted to swing one in front of each front and through a complete circle, means for intermittently rotating said arms, means rotatably mounting said form, means to intermittently rotate the form through predetermined angular distances, and means controlling the rotation of said arms.

9. In a traiiic signal apparatus, a form mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, arms mounted thereon to rotate, a central fixed standard about which said form rotates, fixed contacts on said central standard, spaced longitudinally thereof, contacts on said rotating lOD form and adapted to engage said fixed conthe rotating form automatically through said tacts for completing circuits, motor means contacts causes the operatlon of sald signal 10 for rotating sald form, said motor belng conapparatus.

trolled by circuits including some of said con- Signed at Los Angeles, Los Angeles tacts, and illuminating means for said form County, California, this 26th day of May,

controlled by circuits including some of said 1926. contacts, and signal means also included in circuits controlled by said contacts, whereby THEODORE A. VAN GUNDY. 

